Sirius was sitting on a window ledge snogging Eliza Waldon. It wasn't the first time they'd kissed - they had connected once before, in fifth year at James' New Years Party - but tonight had been rather unexpected. Sirius had noticed her eyeing him up from across the library where they'd both been studying that evening. She'd been so inviting he'd let Peter leave without him and chosen to continue working over at Eliza's table. Of course, work had turned into flirting and they'd been quickly shooed from the library by Madam Pince.
Now, late into the evening, far past curfew, they could hardly take their hands off of each other. Eliza was beautiful, it was a fact that could not be denied. She had long, billowy brown hair and a beautiful smile. Best of all for Sirius, she had a great rack. He was a simple man and a pair of great tits always won him in the end. Although, there was another girl, likely sleeping across the castle, with a pair of uncomparable tits...
"Fuck," Eliza cursed, pulling away. Sirius hadn't even noticed the footsteps coming from down the corridor, growing closer by the second. "I've already been caught once this week..."
"Go," Sirius assured her. Eliza leapt to the ground and collected her things, looking up from behind her hair to smile sheepishly at Sirius.
"We'll finish this later, yeah?"
"Yeah," Sirius agreed. He wondered if he and Eliza would ever cross paths again. Part of him didn't mind if they didn't. She was beautiful, of course, and a great kisser, but it wasn't the same, nothing was the same, as being with Marlene.
Eliza scurried off towards Ravenclaw tower and Sirius, not even off the ledge yet, resigned to the fact that he was facing detention in the morning. He readjusted his shirt, just leaping to his feet when Lily came around the corner.
She rolled her eyes, hands on her hips. "You do realize curfew was over an hour ago?"
"My watch is broken."
"I could write you up you know," Lily frowned, "I should write you up."
"You wouldn't do that to a friend though, would you?" Sirius pulled his most charming grin. "Besides, now I can keep you company on that long journey back up to Gryffindor Tower."
"This is so not how I imagined being Head Girl would look."
"It's so much better though isn't it?" Sirius teased her. "Helping get us out of trouble rather than into it?" Sirius was lucky he had friends in high places. Only a night ago Remus had caught him sneaking up from the kitchen past midnight with an arm full of snacks.
"Who was she then?" Lily asked as they began their trek up the main staircase.
"I'm offended you don't believe I could've been sitting in that corridor doing my Potions homework alone."
Lily didn't look the slightest bit convinced. "Were you?"
"Of course not, I was with Eliza Waldon."
"You're such a slut." Sirius couldn't deny that one. Truth be told, he'd slowed down for the most part, over the past year. What was the point in wasting time perusing other girls when he and Marlene had a nice thing going?
"How is everything in your life going?" Sirius couldn't help but ask the question, knowing everything he did about the almost kiss Lily and James had shared. "Still living in domestic bliss?"
Lily tensed up just the slightest, the smile slipping from her face. "Of course," she nodded, "everything with Fabian is great. He's great." Sirius wanted to shake the answers out of her. He wanted to understand how and when Lily had become interested in James and whether it was a feeling that remained.
"And um," she cleared her throat, practically choking on the next words, "how're James and Sarah?"
"Peachy." Sure, James and Sarah got along but Sirius knew, as any good friend would, that James would leave her in a heartbeat for Lily. He would always have a soft spot for Lily, no matter how hard he tried to deny it.
They reached the sixth-floor landing, the fat lady gazing between the two suspiciously. "You two are back awfully late."
"I had patrols."
"What's his excuse?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know," Sirius winked.
"Patientiam operator," Lily said, the portrait swinging open for them. Inside the common room was empty. They had not yet reached the awful point in the year in which students were up at all hours of the night struggling through their homework by the dying embers of the fire.
"Well," Sirius said, hands tucked into the pockets of his robe, "goodnight."
"Are they…together now?" Lily spat out. He didn't need to ask whom she was referring to.
"Not seriously, no," Sirius didn't know if that was the answer James would've wanted him to give but he knew, from the slight look of relief upon Lily's face, that it was what she'd needed to hear. Perhaps it could work to encourage her to move forward with her feelings… "I don't think he's ready to commit to her."
"Why not?" Now she was just trying to get him in trouble. Sirius sighed, fighting back a smirk.
"I think we both know why not." He couldn't say any more, not unless he wanted James to murder him in his sleep. "Goodnight Lily," he said, turning for the stairs to the boy's dorms.
"Night Sirius."
The room was dark when Sirius entered it, creeping towards his unmade bed in the middle. He slept between Peter and Frank; the latter snoring so loud Sirius didn't think he'd ever be able to fall asleep. Fabian was two beds over, rolled onto his side, sleeping soundly. Sirius couldn't help but feel bad for him. He wanted so badly to see his own friend happy, even if it meant hurting Fabian.
He wondered whether it would come to that, whether Lily would make a choice between the two, whether James and Lily could ever be more. For so long it had been all James thought about, so long that it now seemed nearly impossible. Sirius' drifted off imagining the two of them, the last standing in the common room, curled up by the dying embers of the fire together.
James was watching the Quidditch tryouts from the edge of the field. It was his second year as Gryffindor team captain. He hovered on his broomstick, gripping it a little tighter everytime he watched one of the newbies fumble the quaffle. James might've just accepted defeat in sixth year, when he'd known there'd be another chance at the house cup, but this year was different. This year he had to win.
He watched as Marlene, nothing but a flash of blonde hair, zoomed across the centre of the field, speeding towards the keeper's post. The guy in front of it darted the other way as the Quaffle went flying towards his head.
James whistled loudly across the field, everyone freezing. He'd seen enough. He needed a nap and a long discussion with the team's senior members – Sirius, Marlene, Fabian and Gideon – about who they thought would fit in best.
"Thanks for coming out," he said to the group once they'd all landed back on the ground. "I'll have the final team posted in the common room by tomorrow morning." The tryouts murmured nervously to each other.
"What'd you think?" Sirius asked, catching up to James.
"We're fucked."
"I thought Jacquetta was a good option for seeker," Marlene piped in on James' other side. "She caught the snitch more than the rest of them."
"She also managed to fumble and lose it twice," Sirius reminded her.
"Yeah well, practice makes perfect, you're a living, breathing example."
"Well, Potter," Fabian clapped James on the back when he entered the change room, "should I be nervous?"
"'Course not," James replied, forcing a smile. He could hardly look Fabian in the eye, never mind joke around with him. Fabian had only ever been honest with him and how had James repaid the favour? Nearly making out with his girlfriend. Merlin, he was a wanker.
James was always the last out of the change rooms. As team captain, he was expected to lock the doors at the end of every practice - although, on more than one occasion, he'd been too tired to wait and left the responsibility to Sirius or Marlene. As usual, Marlene and Sirius hung back to keep James company and, most importantly, irritate the hell out of him with their endless bickering.
"So, are you and Sarah, like, together?" Marlene asked as they began their slow climb up the hill.
"I don't know," James shrugged, a little too casual. "We're just having fun."
"You seem to have a lot of fun together…" She persisted like a bloodhound on a scent. "You seem to spend all of your time together"
"What are you getting at?" James did his best to hide his irritation. He knew it would only make the questions worse.
"Come on Prongs," Sirius joined in, "I mean, you tell us that you finally, almost, kissed Lily Evans and now you're suddenly obsessed with this new bird?"
James was sick to death of Lily Evans. She was all he thought about, all he dreamt about, he seemed to be constantly running into her (particularly when she and Fabian were partaking in some PDA) he couldn't stand it anymore.
"There is nothing between Evans and me," James said with finality, "there never will be."
"But-"
"Stop it." James hissed. Marlene went quiet immediately. "I'm trying to move on with my life, okay? I'm tired of chasing after a girl who has made it abundantly clear she is not into me." They were approaching the edge of the courtyard. James could see a few people around, sitting on the benches, chatting against the archways. He was ready to put their conversation to bed before it could be overheard by anyone around them. "Can you guys just be happy for me?"
"Of course we're happy for you," Marlene insisted.
"No more talk of Evans," Sirius agreed. That was that.
Marlene was not even trying to pretend she wasn't falling asleep in the middle of Professor Binns lecture. Her head dropped forward, lurching her awake, and when she opened her eyes Sirius was sliding into the empty seat beside her. Binns didn't even notice, so distracted by the sound of his own voice.
"We have to talk," he whispered.
"About?"
"The fact that James is not over Lily."
"I thought he made it very clear we were not supposed to talk about that."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Does she like him?" Marlene made sure not to let her face give anything away. Lily would kill her.
"I don't know," she shrugged, turning back to face the front of the classroom. Sirius kicked her under the table but she ignored him. She didn't turn back to face him until Professor Binns slammed shut his book and announced the end of class, everyone rushing from their desks in a flurry.
Sirius caught Marlene by the wrist before she could escape. "Why doesn't she just break up with Fabian?"
"Do you want to say that a little louder?" She stared around them; paranoid someone might've heard.
"What're you guys gossiping about?" Peter asked, coming over from his desk.
"James and Lily."
"Sirius!" Marlene slapped him on the arm. The room was emptying out and Professor Binns eyed the three of them suspiciously from his desk. They were not ones to hang around longer than necessary after class. Sirius led the way into the hallway, joining the crowd of students.
"Has anything else happened?" Peter asked eagerly, "since the party?"
"Nothing."
"So what are we discussing?"
"How we're going to finally get them together," Sirius announced, shocking both Peter and Marlene. "Oh come on, don't pretend you two weren't thinking exactly the same thing!"
Marlene pushed through the crowd, leading the way around a corner and into an empty stairwell. It was one of the smaller ones, with narrow steps falling apart that no one dared travel down. They crammed together, Peter pulling the door shut behind them.
"We are not interfering," Marlene told Sirius pointedly.
"But why not? They both like each other. they're just too stubborn and prideful to admit it—"
"They'd both kill us! And it's wrong, especially when there are two other people involved."
"But…well…is it not it better they figure it out now?" Peter suggested. "Rather than years down the line, when things are even more complicated?" Of course, Marlene agreed, she loved the idea of James and Lily finally getting together, but she also knew how complicated both of their feelings were. Lily was still in love with Fabian and James, well, she wasn't quite sure he was ready to figure out what it meant to finally "catch" Lily Evans.
"Come on," Sirius prodded her. He stared at her, with round, pleading eyes, and Marlene could feel her resolve begin to disappear. She scowled, arms crossed.
"No," she shook her head, "it's a terrible, terrible idea."
"Come on," this time Sirius gave her arm a light poke. Marlene didn't budge. "You know you want it too. You are just dying to see James finally get the girl of his dreams."
"Come on Marlene!" Peter joined in. "Do it for true love!"
"I am so not on board with this at all, do you understand me? I think this is insane!"
"And brilliant."
"And impossible!" Marlene reminded them for the hundredth time. She could protest all she liked but once the Marauders had set their minds to something nothing would stand in their path.
Alice dropped her face down onto her Transfiguration textbook. One month in and she could already feel the seventh year workload waning on her.
"Who assigns an essay the first month back at school anyway?" she complained to Remus, sitting across from him in the library.
"Someone who relishes in the pain of others." It was a beautiful day outside. Alice wanted to be out by the lake, feet dipped in the water, enjoying the final few days of good weather. Instead, she was cooped up inside writing on the necessary variables one must consider before trying to transform an object.
"I'm so over this." Alice pushed the text away from her wishing she never had to look at it again.
"I don't think I've ever heard you say that." Remus stopped his scribbling for a moment, gazing up at her. "Everything alright?"
"Oh yeah," Alice sighed, hands rubbing along the sides of her tired face, "just questioning my life's purpose and wondering why I've picked the most difficult schedule possible."
"All for a good cause though," Remus reminded her with a smile, "you'll be an Auror by the end of it."
"I guess." Truth be told, Alice had felt less enchanted by her 'life plan' in recent weeks. She'd had things mapped out for herself from the age of eleven, from what job she'd have to who she'd marry, but was any of it what she really wanted? Or had she just convinced herself it was what she was meant to do?
Leila, who had disappeared between the stacks, returned with books detailing the art of potion making.
"Potions homework?" Remus asked, his eyebrows rising.
"Nope." She dropped the books down on the table, earning a sharp gaze from Madam Pince. "Just some light reading Slughorn suggested."
"Ah," Remus grinned, "so you've been recruited?"
"Only took six years"
"Don't say that around James and Sirius, they're still sour they've never been invited to one of his parties."
"I suppose I can go with you now," Leila said, her voice softening as she stroked Remus' arm. Alice watched the pair of them enviously, missing the days when it had been impossible to sit next to Frank and not want to touch him, when the feeling of his skin against hers had made her stomach flip with excitement. When, and how, had those feelings faded?
"I'll be back," she announced, rising from her chair, "just need to find another book." They hardly noticed her leave, so enraptured by each other. Alice hadn't really needed a book but she scanned the Transfiguration aisle anyway. She didn't want to stare at Remus and Leila any longer, still trapped inside their blissful bubble. When had Alice's bubble popped?
She ran her hand along the spines of the books, moving slowly through the aisle. Perhaps she might discover one that would inspire her to finish her essay. Instead, she pushed one of the books too hard, listening as it fell to the floor on the other side of the shelf. She turned the corner to pick it up but it was already gone.
"Clumsy as ever." Everett was holding it in his hand, smirking. Alice hadn't spoken to him since their awkward carriage ride a week ago. She'd spotted him in the Great Hall a few times, even cut a few corners in the corridors to avoid him. She'd been doing her best to follow through on the promise she'd made to Frank.
"Stalking me?" She snatched the book from his hands.
"Believe it or not, I do frequent the library quite a bit on my own." He was still smirking like he was in on a joke Alice just didn't get. "How've you been?"
"Fine."
"And that boyfriend of yours?"
"You really can't help yourself can you?" Alice turned to leave but Everett caught her by the wrist, drawing her back in towards him.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The way you behaved towards him the other night? He doesn't deserve that."
"He was being a jerk."
"You were taunting him."
"So what? Are you his property? No one else is allowed to even look at you?"
"Of course not…" Why did he care so much anyway? He was a good-looking bloke, Alice had no doubt he could get any girl he wanted, so why was he so invested in her? Was it the chase? The fact that she was so unavailable?
"I like you," he reminded her, voice hushed.
"You don't even know me." Alice could feel herself begin to blush as she turned her head away.
"I know that you're funny, smart, stubborn as hell." He wasn't wrong there. "I know that you feel trapped right now." Alice's stomach sank. "I can see it in your eyes. You aren't happy, he doesn't make you happy."
"That's not true…" Alice shook her head but her heart wasn't in it. Everett was right, wasn't he? Alice was terrified that she was wasting borrowed time doing what she thought was right rather than what she wanted. How did she know Frank was the one when he was the only boy she'd ever been with?
"Tell me to go and I will." Everett was so close to her now he was barely speaking above a whisper. "Tell me you don't care about me and I'll never bother you again." Alice knew what she was supposed to say. She was supposed to look up and, with her blankest stare, tell Everett she was uninterested in his flirting. She was supposed to turn right back around and return to her lovely boyfriend who had made her promise she'd put this thing to bed.
Instead, she didn't say anything at all. She looked up at him, biting her lip, terrified of what came next. Everett was a big question mark, an unknown, but there was something there. Something about him that drew her closer no matter how hard she tried to fight it. He saw her, the scared little girl hidden inside, the one who was lost and fighting to keep her head above water.
"This is crazy," she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She couldn't do this. She loved Frank. They were supposed to be unbreakable and yet here she was, hiding in the library stacks with another boy…
"But it's right," Everett countered. "You know it too Alice, it's so right." She still had her eyes closed when his hand came to cup her cheek, thumb brushing just under her eyes, making her skin pimple with goosebumps. She didn't pull away. Then he kissed her. Lips pressed delicately against hers, waiting for resistance, but nothing came. She let his tongue slid into her mouth, welcoming each advance until finally, she pushed him off.
"Fuck." She ran her fingers through her short hair, stomach all tied up in knots. "Fuck!" What had she done? She gazed up at Everett, who looked just as surprised by what had happened as she was, and ran from him without another word.
James left for his patrols just after nine, leaving the remaining three Marauders sitting around the fire alone. Lily, who'd been across the Common Room doing work at one of the tables, wandered up to bed not long after that.
"Okay," Sirius said, clapping his hands together once they'd both disappeared, "it's time."
"Time?" Remus asked.
"To fill you in on our plan." Peter was brimming with excitement. The two waved over a rather reluctant Marlene who brought Mary and Emmeline with her to join them.
"What's going on?" Remus asked, looking around at the group of them.
"I'm as lost as you are," shrugged Mary.
"Marlene, care to fill our friends in on the plan?"
"Are you kidding me? This is your plan, Black."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "We're setting James and Lily up."
"Um, if I'm not mistaken Lily is dating Fabian—"
"But she has feelings for James," Sirius interjected. Mary and Emmeline shared a clueless glance.
"They nearly kissed at the party, after Alice's mother's funeral," Marlene filled them in. Both girls gasped.
"What?"
"How?"
"How are we just learning about this now!?"
"Clearly, they're both mad for each other," Sirius continued, ignoring all the questions.
"Neither of them will admit it though!" added Peter.
"So our job, as supportive friends, is to nudge them along."
"I'm fairly certain our job as friends is to keep our noses out of it?" Remus reminded him. Sirius glared.
"That's what they think they want," he told Remus, "it isn't what they really want."
"And what do they really want?"
"Oh come on Mooney, don't be daft! They want to be together! Don't pretend after all this time it isn't a little exciting to know Lily Evans likes James Potter!" Sirius was right, it was a bit exciting. After all, Remus had spent nearly six years listening to James moan on about Lily Evans and how desperate he was to have her. He'd also been forced to watch, in pain, the desperate attempts at wooing her.
"How exactly are we supposed to get them together?" Emmeline asked, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"Force them to spend time alone, remind them of each other constantly." Remus shook his head, this was the dumbest plan he'd heard from Sirius yet.
"So like, Parent Trap them?" Mary asked the group, no one but her understanding the reference. She rolled her eyes. "I need more muggle friends."
"Well then," Peter asked eagerly, "who's in?" No one spoke up. Marlene shook her head disapprovingly from the couch.
"Why not," Emmeline shrugged, "I love a good romance."
"McDonald?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Mooney?"
Remus glanced towards Marlene, who looked as sceptical as he felt. He liked Fabian. He didn't much feel like playing a hand in the guy's heart getting broken and yet…the thought of James finally getting Lily, after all this time, it was hard to resist.
"Fine," he sighed, knowing it was no use arguing with Sirius. "I'm in."
